I start with why I was up until 2 AM last night, as discussed HERE. Then, it is on to the fraud, Supply@ME Capital (SYME); M & C Saatchi (SAA); Next Fifteen (NFC); and finally, that golden rule and Westminster Group (WSG).
I start with the usual. 94.5% of you are yet to donate, despite the cows, nettles and thorn bush of the weekend. Go on, just a tenner for Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks; you know it makes sense. Please donate, HERE. In today's podcast, I discuss Vin Murria and M&C Saatchi (SAA); the scoundrels at Ince (INCE) and Deepverge (DVRG); Vast Resources (VAST); Audioboom (BOOM); and finally, Tortilla Mexican Grill (MEX), as it buys Chilango. This looks all wrong - another member of the 2021 IPO hall of shame?
As you know, I believe the saintly Vin Murria, the thinking man’s Cheryl Cole, can do almost nothing wrong. However, she is being a little naughty on the matter of M&C Saatchi (SAA). Let me explain.
Tomorrow's training walk really will start at 4.30 AM. I promise. If you are among the naughty 95% yet to donate, please do so HERE. After that, there is more work on the Ha-Ha, ahead of a new idea which I will announce next week. I start with how NOT to get a job, when I was the one who got you an interview! I end with why this year, it will be I, not Malcolm, who calls the housebuilders right. In between, I discuss a share my SIPP bought yesterday; the fund and games with Vin Murria at M&C Saatchi (SAA); Cellular Goods (CBX); and THG (THG)
Fingers crossed. If it is what I have been promised it is curtains for one CEO. In the rest of the bearcast I discuss travails with brickies, M&C Saatchi (SAA) and the saintly Vin Murria, Bluebird Merchant Ventures (BMV),Cellular Goods (CBX),Tern (TERN),ADM Energy (ADME), Supply@ME Capital (FRAUD), Tiger Resources (TIR),UK Oil & Gas (UKOG), Argo Blockchain (ARB) and the changing appetite for bailout placings.
On his LinkedIn profile the former CFO of M&C Saatchi (SAA) Jamie Hewitt says: “After 15 very good years at M&C Saatchi as Global CFO, I decided to leave in search of new and exciting CFO challenges. I am particularly keen to identify and work with fast scaling media and tech businesses, in either a permanent or interim role.” Before hiring Jamie, Prospective employers may care to check out this Winnileaks expose, a report from PWC into accounting fraud at Saatchi from December 2019.
M&C Saatchi (SAA) has updated including; “There is no change to the group’s 2019 previously announced profit, and there are no further adjustments to prior period headline profit beyond those reported in the preliminary unaudited financial statements published on 30 September 2020. An additional non-cash, non-headline prior year adjustment of £2.8m relating to 2017 and prior periods is reported” – and the shares, already up from below 30p in April, are currently at 80p, approaching 40% higher. Hmmm…
Marketing company M&C Saatchi (SAA) has updated commencing that it is “pleased to announce that the group has continued to trade well and profitably in the opening few weeks of the second half of 2020. New business remains strong” – and the shares are currently at 64.4p, more than 5.5% higher…
A “COVID-19 update” from marketing company M&C Saatchi (SAA) includes “all group companies continue to operate and serve our clients, with the majority of offices currently operating a remote working policy… we continue to pitch for new business and there are still some areas where demand for our services remains steady, e.g. our talent and influencer businesses” and that it “remains confident about the liquidity status of the group for the foreseeable future”. The shares are currently still above 31p, however…
A week ago I mused upon the latest corporate shocker from M&C Saatchi (SAA) but news over the last 24 hours is that one of the founders - the legendary Maurice Saatchi - along with three independent directors, have quit the firm. And quite correct too. With accounting issues and eyes off the ball, heads should roll. Apparently the CEO believes that his exit would be too damaging to the company. Whatever...
Today's news is shocking but should not shock you as I have warned this would happen. Anyone invested in commercial property shares is insane for reasons I explain again and as for an open-ended fund they are even more insane. I also look at the latest accounting wrongdoing at Ted Baker (TED) and M&C Saatchi (SAA). Do no auditors show professional scepticism these days. Then there is comment on Tomco (TOM) and value destruction. Oh and there is a snake story too.
I wonder what the M&C Saatchi (SAA) Christmas party will be like this year? Judging by today's regulatory news update, I would be tempted to cancel it – if it was going ahead in the first place. You may recall that I have written twice about the advertising company - most recently here back in September - talking about its slow car crash involving both an accounting scandal and depressed profits. Today's update provides clarity on the former, but provides another slice of trading gloom. And the shares? Down 40% from already depressed levels as I write. It is going to have to work hard to advertise this positively...
Everything comes to those that wait. I see the perilous nature of the advertising markets - a function of both the rise of internet initiatives and patchy underlying economies - is still continuing to play out with M&C Saatchi (SAA), which I wrote about a mere six weeks ago and whose shares have dumped a further quid to just over 150p (including a 10% fall today) over the interim period…
Those of you with an interest - or recollection - of late 1970s UK political advertising will understand the allusion made in the title. The reality is however that M&C Saatchi (SAA) has just come out with a downright worrisome statement which even its spinning and marketing skills are going to have to work overtime to counter...
The only reason the bulls can come up with to buy into Fastjet (FJET) is that it will soon see a new CEO take the helm, Nico Bezuidenhout, whose CV looks great having done wonderful things at Mango, the low cost airline offshoot of South African Airways (SAA). Unfortunately that CV is now unravelling big time. Or at least it is in real doubt.
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